


Battling The Elements

by Im_The_Doctor (Bofur1)



Series: The Pacemakers [7]
Category: Transformers Generation One
Genre: Angst and Romance, Assumptions, Confrontations, Drinking & Talking, Established Relationship, Eventual Happy Ending, F/M, False Accusations, Flying, Flying Lessons, Jealousy, Late Night Conversations, Misunderstandings, One-Sided Attraction, Overprotective, Pace Mates, Possessive Behavior, Pre-Earth Transformers, Public Claiming, Surprises, casual conversation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-16
Updated: 2015-09-16
Packaged: 2018-04-21 02:52:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4812203
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bofur1/pseuds/Im_The_Doctor
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Moonracer has been feeling somewhat neglected lately in her relationship with Powerglide. It's difficult being a grounder when one's significant other constantly wants to fly. Then Moonracer finds out he's been flying <em>with<em> someone...Like any healthily jealous femme, she assumes the worst.</em></em></p>
            </blockquote>





	Battling The Elements

“Powerglide, how is Element’s training coming along?” Cosmos asked politely, setting aside his energon cube.

Moonracer’s gaze flicked up from her own cube in puzzlement. Who was Element? And why had Powerglide’s optics lit up at the name?

“Under the _best_ sort of tutelage, El’s—well, sprouted wings!” Powerglide exclaimed proudly, laughing at his pace-mate’s raised eyebrows. “You’ll have to come and watch us. Or maybe even _join_ us, Cos’! We all know you like flying more than you let on.”

Cosmos immediately began protesting, but Powerglide ignored him, waving a hand for Beachcomber to hand him another cube. Once he’d cracked it open, Moonracer tapped his shoulder and then leaned on it.

“This is the first I’ve heard of Element,” she remarked.

Powerglide briefly retracted his facemask to drink before explaining, “Element is a student of mine. I’ve been teaching aerial tactics—”

“That basically means tricks, right?” Moonracer joked. Powerglide looked mildly insulted.

“Well, not _all_ of ’em! I can’t have the student surpass the master! El only just started learning anyways. It’s why I’ve been spending so much time in the air.”

Moonracer’s smile faltered a little. She wasn’t sure if Powerglide had noticed how she’d been missing him lately because of those long joors over her head. But if he had a new student, surely he needed to spend that time there. After Element had learned a little and needed less coaching, perhaps Moonracer’s sweetspark would get his helm out of the clouds.

—

Moonracer glanced at her chronometer for the sixth time in five minutes. It was nearly into the next orn and Powerglide hadn’t returned to their quarters yet. Finally deciding to call, she stood from the end of the berth and strode toward the comm. system, dialing up. The call was answered, but there wasn’t any visual signal.

“H’lo…?” Beachcomber sounded pretty out of it, so she must have brought him out of recharge. Although, ’Comber usually sounded out of it to her.

Pushing these thoughts away, Moonracer took on an apologetic tone and greeted, “Hi, ’Comber, it’s Moonracer. I was wondering if you’d seen Powerglide tonight.”

“’Glide’s out with Element, I think…”

For a brief nanoklik Moonracer misunderstood the phrase ‘ _out_ _with_ Element’, demanding, “Doing what?”

“Well, training. What else would they be doing?” Beachcomber mumbled.

Relaxing, Moonracer leaned her chin into one hand. “Okay, well, do you think you’d be willing to call him for me?”

Beachcomber hummed doubtfully. “Well, the problem with that is, he’s made it pretty clear to us that he doesn’t want to be interrupted when he’s training. He’s pace-leader, y’know…”

“So you do what he says,” Moonracer finished, shuttering her optics in silent frustration. “Alright, well, thanks, Beachcomber. If he’s not back by the morning, can you please ask Cosmos to go on a ‘routine patrol’ or something?”

“Sure thing,” Beachcomber agreed sleepily before hanging up. Moonracer sighed and shuffled back to the other side of the room, curling up tightly on her side of the berth and feeling very aware of the emptiness at her back.

—

Moonracer came back online several joors later and found the sun already dappling the wall in view. Being late to her studies wasn’t what she was concerned about though. There was still that emptiness tingling down her backstrut, informing her that she was alone. She sat up immediately, prepared to call Beachcomber once more and ask if he had kept his promise about Cosmos, but a voice startled her.

“Rise and shine, sweetspark.”

Jerking her helm around, Moonracer found Powerglide standing across the room, pouring Garbage O’s into two bowls.

“Did you just get back?” Moonracer asked, not even trying to keep the sulk out of her voice.

“No, I got back about a breem after two,” Powerglide replied obliviously, unaware of the scowl she was directing at his back. “But when I woke up and you were still recharging, you looked so pretty that I just left you.”

Normally she would melt a little at a compliment like this. Instead, folding her hands calmly, she announced, “’Glide, we need to talk about your night shift.”

Powerglide glanced over his shoulder as he poured energon into the two containers, though some of the fluid missed and hit the counter. Moonracer didn’t mention it, keeping their gazes locked.

“Okay,” Powerglide said at last, sounding a little puzzled as he set the cube down and seized the breakfast bowls. “I’ll clean that up later,” he assured her as he approached, handing her the bowl in his left hand, which she immediately set down in order to take his hand and help him up.

Sitting across from her, Powerglide unlatched his face mask, took a bite of his food and mumbled around the mouthful, “What about my night shift?”

For a few kliks Moonracer just couldn’t resist perusing his features. When they were out, he kept his mask on at all times. Why, he had never told her, but in these times when it was just them, she appreciated the view.

“I missed you last night,” she confessed at last. “And I don’t think it’s good for you to be staying up so long.”

“Right back at ya,” was Powerglide’s surprising response. When Moonracer stared blankly at him, Powerglide chuckled. “Y’know I check in on my pace-mates since I don’t sleep with ’em anymore. Beachcomber told me you called.” Scooting closer, Powerglide set his free hand on her shoulder. “And I want you to know that this is temporary. Soon I won’t need to go out at night and have to worry about _you_ getting worried.”

Before Moonracer to think through what that might imply, a hailing beep told them someone was at the door. “I’ll get it,” Powerglide volunteered. “You eat your O’s.”

As the Minibot strode toward the door, Moonracer reached for her bowl and then paused, instead scooping up the mask-plate Powerglide had left by her knee.

“Powerglide—” she started, holding it out.

“Just a klik,” he replied distractedly as he unlocked the door. When it slid back, Moonracer blinked a few times. A tall, slender femme, painted navy blue and gold, was standing on the other side. As soon as she saw Powerglide, she beamed and waved.

“Oh!” Powerglide exclaimed. “Hi, El!”

Element, Moonracer realized immediately, sitting up straighter. Somehow she had been operating under the assumption—hoping, in fact—that Powerglide’s student was a _mech_ …

“I didn’t expect you to be up,” Powerglide remarked, stepping aside to let her in. “It was a long lesson last night.”

Element laughed in breezy tones as she moved past Powerglide, pausing to put a delicate hand on his shoulder. “True, but I have a great teacher who makes it less draining.”

Moonracer watched Powerglide smile, completely relaxed despite the fact that his face was uncovered for someone other than his pace-mates or his betrothed. Element’s own smile grew wider and then she continued into the room, startling a little when she noticed Moonracer staring pointedly at her.

“Oh, hello! I don’t think I’ve had the pleasure of meeting you, um…?”

“Moonracer,” she stated. Though her tone was even, her CPU was starting to stutter. _A femme, late at night,_ alone _with the mech who’s supposed to be_ my _Conjunx Endura—and she doesn’t know who I am? I haven’t even been mentioned? Is this really what it looks like?!_

“Moonracer,” Element repeated in the same tone, nodding. “Well, it’s nice to meet you.” Tentatively she held out a hand.

 _Keep calm_ , Moonracer ordered herself, plastering on a friendly face and taking the hand. “You too,” she chirped, watching in her peripheral vision as Powerglide unwound, pleased by her sudden affability. He’d better not get too comfortable.

“Please, sit down,” Moonracer suggested pleasantly, using the grip she had to tug Element onto the edge of the berth. “You want something to eat? I have Garbage O’s already prepared!”

Element was now looking uncomfortable. “I didn’t plan on staying; I was actually hoping Powerglide wanted to go for a flight. We have some new maneuvers planned.” Raising her eyebrows, Element added, “Are you a flyer, Moonracer?”

 _Is she mocking me?_ “Nope!” Moonracer denied the thought cheerfully. “I’ve actually thought sometimes that flying could be a waste, at least for those who aren’t too good at it.”

“Oh.” Element seemed infuriatingly oblivious to the insult, but Powerglide looked startled and decided to intervene.

“A flight sounds good, Element. Let me just—”

“Aren’t you going to finish your breakfast?” Moonracer interrupted, the edge in her vocals emerging. “You left your mask off for it!”

Powerglide’s mouth opened but no words left it. His optics flickered to the floor for a nanoklik and Moonracer almost felt bad for her words. She could tell she’d just embarrassed him; it almost never happened, but when it did, it seemed to touch something behind his armor that Moonracer usually didn’t see.

“Yeh,” Powerglide said at last, quietly. “Breakfast. That’s what I was gonna say.”

“I’ll wait outside,” Element suggested, rising to her feet and, to Moonracer’s growing fury, trailing a hand over Powerglide’s shoulder before striding away. Once she was out of sight, Powerglide sighed, approaching to stand at the foot of the berth and folding his arms.

“Moonracer, what’s goin’ on?”

“I woke up on the wrong side of the berth,” Moonracer announced through clenched teeth. “Because the mech I’m engaged to wasn’t there next to me.” Powerglide stammered a little but Moonracer went on. “I don’t know if this whole situation is my fault or if you just think it is, but I think if things are going to stay alright, Element needs to find a different teacher!”

“What are you talking about?” Powerglide cried. “I like teaching her! And I have no idea what ‘situation’ you’re talking about!”

“Powerglide, you’re a _terrible_ liar,” Moonracer spat, pointing toward the closed front door. “She’s a femme! A femme you’ve been spending your nights with. We’re going to be bonded and you’re—you’re—not even taking it seriously!”

Powerglide openly gaped, throwing his arms out wide. “I _literally_ don’t understand!”

Moonracer geared up to scream at him but before she got an opportunity, the door slid back open. “Powerglide?” Element called. “A few of your pace-mates are here to see you.”

Powerglide turned pleading optics on Moonracer. “Can I have my mask back?” When she didn’t even deign to answer, the distressed pace-leader turned on his heelstrut away, giving a weak greeting.

“I see you got back safely,” Cosmos nodded, squeezing his wide frame through the door first, followed by Beachcomber and Warpath.

“Um, yeah,” Powerglide agreed. “Hey, do you mind if we talk outside? It’s feeling a little stuffy in here.”

The trio glanced at each other curiously before unceremoniously moving back the way they had come. Moonracer followed Powerglide up to the doorframe, leaning against it and glowering.

“I don’t plan on staying that long, you guys,” Powerglide was saying to his pace-mates in a low voice. “I’m gonna go flying with Element, give Moonracer a little space…”

“Did you have a WHAM! BANG! domestic spat?” Warpath asked, the sound effect programming in his speech rather taking away from his attempt to be quiet for Powerglide’s dignity.

“Could say that,” Powerglide admitted. “Except I don’t know much of what it’s actually about.”

“What it’s about—” Moonracer started angrily, stomping into everyone’s view, “—is that you haven’t denied that you might be cheating on me!”

Cosmos immediately cringed, Beachcomber’s visor flashed in alarm, and Warpath muttered urgently, “PHOOM! Shots fired!”

Powerglide took no notice of any of them, whirling around and doubling his fists. “How could you ever think that?!” he demanded. “They’re flight lessons, nothing else!”

“And here I’ve always had to vie for your attention when it comes to flying,” Moonracer countered. “You’ve said a thousand times that you _love_ flying and learning how to fly is the _best_ thing that happened to you—”

“Besides you!” Powerglide cried. “I’ve also said I wish you had a flying mode so you could be with me!”

“So you don’t like me as I am?!”

“Of course I do! If I didn’t, do you think I would plan a whole public bonding ceremony?! It’s at the end of the vorn!”

Moonracer took a step back in disbelief. He’d already planned a ceremony? But just as she started to suspect she may have made a horrific mistake, an unwelcome voice broke in.

“You’re bonding to her?!”

Powerglide glanced at Element, who wore a miserable expression. “I—I thought we were…having something,” she stammered.

“What? I’ve already invited you to the ceremony, El,” Powerglide reminded her cautiously. “Don’t you remember?”

Element shook her helm violently. “No! At least give us a chance, Powerglide, please.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. I’m just teaching you how to fly,” Powerglide objected, looking quite bewildered and somewhat alarmed at where this was going.

“But I don’t want to fly without you!” Element begged. “You’re the best around here and I knew it, so I wanted you to teach me! I want to spend our lives teaching each other!”

“This is glitched,” Powerglide announced nervously, holding up his hands placatingly. “I don’t know why you started thinking this way, but I’m…”

“He’s mine,” Moonracer declared firmly, looping an arm around Powerglide’s shoulder and pulling him toward her. Element stood motionless, staring at the both of them in a way that made Moonracer tighten her grip and surreptitiously hand Powerglide his mask, which she had held onto. After a brief hesitation, he latched it.

The idea that she was an outsider seemed too much for Element. She clenched and unclenched her fists wordlessly before she sprang without warning. Fortunately Warpath reacted just as abruptly, ducking between them and catching her halfway.

“Stop SLAM! CLANG! struggling!” he commanded. After tense minutes, she wilted, stopping her resistance. Warpath slowly released her, nudging her back as he commented, “I think you need a new teacher.”

“Maybe a counsellor?” Beachcomber piped up.

“But please don’t come back ’round,” Cosmos requested as he joined his two other mates in front of their leader. “Because Moonracer has a few sisters who wouldn’t want you harassing her.”

“And no harm is comin’ to our pace-leader,” Warpath added sternly. “We won’t BRA-KOW! allow it.”

—

Though the scene outside had been resolved with Element’s departure, there was still some repairs to be done. Moonracer guiltily tracked Powerglide’s movements as he wandered back and forth through the apartment. Occasionally he would pause as though he were about to say something and then keep walking.

“In how much trouble am I exactly?” Moonracer finally blurted out.

“I can’t decide,” Powerglide muttered. On his next pass, Moonracer leaned forward, grabbing his hand and pulling him toward her.

“Listen, I’m sorry,” she sighed. “I just didn’t understand what was happening between you and her.”

“But I _told_ you!” Powerglide protested. “Just flying. And if you had doubts about it, you should’ve called _me_ instead of my pace-mates!”

Moonracer pursed her lips, her gaze shifting downward. “I didn’t know what to expect from you,” she admitted.

“Well, then, let me spell it out for ya, Sunbeam,” Powerglide began, re-maneuvering their hands so his held hers. With the use of her nickname, Moonracer finally had the courage to lift her optics to meet his.

“As long as we’re together—which I believe will be a very long time—you can expect me to be loyal. You can expect me to be honest, even if I’m pointing out a fault or a reason I think I’m right when we argue. You can expect me to do my best at puttin’ you first and you can expect me to need a stern reminder now and then.”

Moonracer laughed a little at that, though her vocals hitched without her permission. Powerglide ex-vented deeply, taking up her other hand and running his thumbs over the base joints of her fingers.

“And you can expect a bonding ceremony at the end of the vorn,” he concluded.

“What is it going to be like?” Moonracer asked, making sure her enthusiasm was clear in her tone.

“Ah-ah.” Powerglide shook his helm, his optics scrunching up as they did when he was grinning. “That’s where I’d like to keep you guessing.”

**Author's Note:**

> For any who might say "Powerglide DID end up cheating on her with Astoria, even after they were bonded!" I will reply that they never got the chance to bond. In the following months the war grew worse and worse and before the end of the year, 'Glide and his pace were called to join Optimus Prime in the journey to Earth.
> 
> Despite that, I hope you enjoyed! Please comment and tell me what you thought!


End file.
